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Success Story

CHAR Technologies

10/11/2013

In North America alone, renewable natural gas plants waste more than $100 million a year on hydrogen sulfide-related corrosion. A trace contaminant found in biogas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) causes significant damage to plant operating equipment resulting in frequent shutdowns, oil changes and maintenance.

CHAR Technologies has developed SulfaCHAR, a charcoal-type filter made from by-products of the anaerobic digestion process that works the same way as a home water filter to remove H2S and convert it into a beneficial agricultural fertilizer additive, turning the SulfaCHAR into a cost-effective, sustainable and truly zero-waste solution. CHAR Technologies owns the patent on the process of extraction.

OCE worked with founder Andrew White early on and provided Market Readiness funding to take the product out of the lab and into pilot testing. With OCE’s support, CHAR Technologies was also able to build a demonstration trailer to help educate biogas plant owners on-site. The start-up is anticipating a large angel investment in December 2013.

CHAR Technologies is now engaged in discussions with several Ontario pilot sites, distributors, investors and customers. SulfaCHAR, to launch in May 2014, aims to capture at least 20 per cent of the Canadian biogas market.

Return on Innovation

Currently employs one full-time and two part-time management staff

Plans to hire another 10-20 in the next two to three years

Four professors, three post-docs and one PhD student are working on projects at three universities